and there it is, a mark of the divine | JENLISA

Chapter 4

"Um, fuck yes," Jennie replies, emphatic, and begins to bound closer to the water. She still doesn't have a ton of experience in open water, but she's so much more confident about her swimming now, it scarcely matters. Plus, she has Lisa, so there's really no fear to be felt.

Jennie pulls off her shirt, revealing a strapless red bikini with white swirl patterns. She hopes Lisa is watching as she does, and when she looks towards her, she spies just the slightest flush to her cheeks as she averts her eyes.

A part of her wishes Lisa would just allow her gaze to linger. Just once.

Lisa wears board shorts with her bikini top most days, and like most days Jennie's eyes are consistently drawn to her tanned thighs. Summer in Suncliff is fun for a variety of reasons, but mostly because Lisa wears a lot less sleeves and a lot shorter shorts. Today, her black shorts reach mid-thigh, and somehow it affects Jennie more than if she were just wearing the bikini by itself.

To stop herself from outright drooling, she decides to run straight for the water, abandoning her clothes and her bag in a heap on the sand.

/

She's happier, Lisa thinks.

Jennie had been happy when she first arrived in Suncliff — full of unbridled joy and endless enthusiasm over whales and travel and a stranger making her coffee. This feels different, though. There's a tranquility to her, like the needle of her internal compass has been spinning out of control for so long, but has finally settled.

(She tries her best not to read too much into it, but there's a twinge in the back of her mind that refuses to leave.)

Jennie all but leaps into the water, waist-deep, without an ounce of hesitation. It's a far cry from October Jennie, who needed a little encouragement just to take a step into the pool. She lets out a laugh that's full of pure delight and Lisa's legs are carrying her towards the water just to be in proximity to it.

The water's not even up to Lisa's calves before Jennie splashes her.

Lisa's eyebrows lift. She didn't realise they were going to play it like that. She splashes her back, much lighter, but Jennie's mouth still drops open in surprise. Then, she begins to walk backwards, further out into the surf.

"Bet you can't catch me."

Lisa knows she could, and Jennie knows it, too. She can see the glint in her eyes, like it's a challenge she's hoping she'll lose.

"I wouldn't want you to hurt yourself."

Lisa knows she won't, and Jennie knows it, too. She's saying it for the sake of saying it. Playing along with her game. Dancing around something neither of them will actually vocalise.

"Then you better catch me," Jennie teases, continuing to swim backwards. "'Cause if I'm hurt I'm going to need you to save me."

Lisa rolls her eyes, her smile giving away her amusement. She lets her get a headstart, which isn't much, because even Jennie won't swim that far out into open water. She watches her go, pride settling into her chest. She's not the strongest swimmer yet, and Lisa wouldn't feel comfortable leaving her alone out here, but she's made so much progress already.

She thinks back to the first day in the pool, Jennie's hand in hers, the sun warming her skin, before she goes in after her.

She catches up to Jennie quickly, despite choosing to humour her by swimming slower than she normally would. Once she reaches her, she speeds up, cutting her off and taking hold of her forearms when she slows.

"You're a menace," Lisa tells her, and Jennie laughs airily.

"Oh, yeah?" She asks, and to Lisa's surprise, she dives under the surface in an attempt to escape.